


The Us In Between

by belleathrone



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, M/M, Not A Happy Ending, Rather an except the fate that had been bestowned ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-07
Updated: 2019-07-07
Packaged: 2020-06-24 00:10:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19712350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/belleathrone/pseuds/belleathrone
Summary: The before, during and after the duel between Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald.





	The Us In Between

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry but my knowledge of Harry Potter goes as far as the movies and fanfictions XD
> 
> This piece of work is meant to be inaccurate to the real duel between Albus and Grindel. Let's just assume that the Crucio spell in this story doesn't neccesarily need the person to enjoy the pain caused.
> 
> I'm pretty sure my mind wasn't straight when I wrote this so I apologize X) 
> 
> The characters and everything Harry Potter Wizarding World related belongs to J.K. Rowling.

"You never change do you?" Albus asked as he carefully walked on the ledge of the building. Although it looks as if he wasn't talking with anyone, the moment he turned the corner Gellert was standing a few metres away, eyes closed as he took in the cool breeze of the night, hands tucked in the pocket of his coat.

He looks as beautiful as ever, thought Albus as he smiled and joined Gellert by his side.

"Just as same that you never fail to amuse me, Albie." Gellert spoke, a faint smile gracing his lips.

Albus coughed trying to get his mind from any un-needed thoughts. "Why did you ask to meet up when, to my knowledge, that we are going to fight tommorow? War doesn't work like this if you should know, Gellert."

Gellert slowly opened his eyes and turned his head to face Albus, the smile still gracing his lips. "Is that so? Well that can't be right, I was just asking a night to be spent with you. We can call this a pre-war bonding."

A sudden anger had flared in the pits of Albus's heart. What was Gellert playing at? "Selfish as ever I see, I don't understand why this would help both you and me rather than it being a mere entertainment for you"

"Selfish?" Gellert had turned his head back to face the beautiful view of London. "I thought I'm doing you more pleasure than harm." His smile had turned into that mischevious smirk that Albus loved. "Can't we go out, just the two of us?"

Albus took a step away from Gellert, the fire in his heart had perish onto the walls of it in a familiar numbing pain. "Don't do this, Gellert. I don't want this." At least, not like this. "One of us is going to die tommorow."

"And perhaps you think I'd rather die?" Gellert was pushing him and Albus knows this.

"I hope neither does." Albus stated and clenched his hands into thight balls. "I never wish for any of us to die."

"Of course, you don't." Gellert swallowed. "You're as stubborn as ever." A moment of silence passed between them as Albus looked away and watched the beautiful view too. The lights were shinning like they always did and watching the cars and busses moving along the road was quite relaxing, Albus uncoiled his hands from the tight balls that they were in. He heaved out a sigh.

From beside him, Gellert sighed too before taking a step foward, his feet balancing over the edge. He held out his hand for Albus to take. Albus stared at it and looked over to Gellert. Gellert was trying to hide his face as he purposely looked away. Albus stared back at the arm outsretched in front of him.

"You're taking this a little bit too far, Gellert." Just like you always do, Albus added quitely.

"Are you going to resist this offer, Albie?" Gellert looked back to him and Albus could clearly see, inside those usually unreadable eyes was hope and agony mixed together. He could feel it in himself and Albus knew that in that moment if anything happens tonight, and knowing the both of them, tommorow is just another day. Another day and nothing more.

Albus slowly took Gellert's hand and Gellert smiled, showing off the youth that he actually holds. Reminding Albus all over again of the man that he fell in love with.

They set off to a night that Albus knows he will never forget.

\- - -

When Albus woke up the next day, he made way to do his usual morning routine and was silent all morning, making the others feel more anxious than they should. A small smile ocasionally comes and goes as Albus reminisce of the night before. If the gentle rub of his palm over his neck isn't much of a proof then the gentle touch of his fingers to his lips is everything that we need to know.

The war had started off with a big mess of scattered bodies and towards the end they were more of Grindelwald's followers than Albus could have ever thought. He was hoping that it didn't have to end like this but had expected it would. Albus caught up with Gellert in the middle of it all.

Gellert had his wand up, pointing it at Albus. "Fancy to know you'll face me, Albus."

It stung, the way he reffered Albus with his name, but he knew that he didn't need to dwell on that. "Can't say I love it more than you do."

"Quite certain of you, Albus." Gellert grinned, flicking his wand.

"Always." Albus replied and casted the first spell. Gellert took the hit before casting a spell to which Albus deflected. Hit after hit and miss after miss, the two men was covered in blood and was panting heavely as both of them ended up across from each other.

Gellert was on his knees as Albus painfully stood up. Spell by spell he had casted towards Gellert and all of them Gellert managed to counter. That was one of the things Albus adored about Gellert, he will never give up.

"You can't win this." Albus panted as he dropped down to a knee a few feet away from Gellert.

Gellert chuckled as he moved a leg up to mirror Albus. "I hoped I did but might as well expect that you'll win instead." Gellert moved his wand up and shouted, "Crucio!" and watched as the beam of light travelled past Albus as he avoided it.

"Then what is this war? One of your hopes and expectations?" Albus stood back up, an arm covering his torso, the wound on his stomach was starting to bleed heavily.

Gellert hanged his head down, laughing. "This war was unexpected you see. I believed in what I dreamed of doing, I never hoped this war or expected to fight you, Albie. But then you broke our pact and I realized that you are serious about this. You don't want me to succeed. If fighting you is the only thing I need to do to get to my dream, then I'll do it."

"What you're doing is wrong, Gellert." Albus tried to pursuade him. They shouldn't talk, they are in the middle of a war for Merlin's sake! But then again this is Albus and Gellert. Two men with the same past. Albus took a glance around him, their surrounding was a disaster.

"But we once shared the same beliefs so something might have been right, Albie."

Albus closed his eyes, which was the wrong step to begin with, as he remembered to the days where they did share the same beliefs. Spending every day sharing their ideas. Every hour next to each other. It hurts to remember.

"Expelliarmus!" With Albus distracted, Gellert had gotten his strength back. With a new determination he casted the spell and watched as Albus's wand was thrown far away from him and Albus quickly opened his eyes back. "Avra Kadavra!" He shouted again and Albus leaped towards his wand, making the unforgivable spell hit ground instead.

Albus quickly crawled towards his wand as Gellert casted, "Stupefy!" Albus was hit but managed to grab ahold of his wand again. He went flying back and landed on the ground, hard.

Albus groaned. "It was an obsession, Grindel. I never think to take it this far and cause deaths."

"Then, I was a fool to believe that your obssesion might have lasted in you." He walked closer towards Albus. Albus should be worried, he's stunned and was not capable in moving but instead he waited. He waited for Gellert to come closer. He didn't know what to do but he had a feeling that Gellert wasn't done with him, even after the killing curse that he had tried to cast towards Albus.

Gellert had stopped, just right in front of Albus's stunned body. And to Albus's expectation Gellert had whispered, "Rennervate," which released Albus from the stunning spell. Albus stared up at Gellert, staying in his position on the ground.

"Join me, Albie." Grindel had spoken so softly that Albus's breath hitched so slowly. "I haven't change my thoughts in you being my equal. It will always be you."

Albus never had to think twice about this. The answer will always be no. "Expelliarmus!" Albus casted at Grindel before moving away quickly. "Accio wand!" He casted again towards the wand that was disarmed from Grindel but Grindel managed to grab it mid-air.

Albus grunted as Grindel chuckled. "I will always be your fool, Albie." He shaked his head before casting bombardo to which Albus repelled it. Grindel repeated the spell three more times and Albus barely managed to protect himself before Albus quickly took a chance and casted carpe retractum which binded Grindel's feet with a rope. Grindel laughed before casting a spell to cut the ropes. "Your spells are getting quite ridiculous, Albie."

Albus pointed his wand at Grindel, his body tensing as a spell threatened to fall out of his lips. He can't do it.

Grindel grinned and spread his arm. "Do it, Albie."

Albus started to tremble, eyes blinking to keep in the tears. "Avra-!" He started but stopped, he was reminded back to Arianna and how her death caused much more pain than Albus could have ever known it would. Instead he casted another spell. "Crucio!" He shouted in pained exclamation and in seconds Grindel was screaming in agony.

And with that scream, everyone around them had stopped.

Albus cried and found it difficult to get closer to Grindle. Grindle was resisting, he tried to fight the pain and Albus was crying because he is the one that causes the pain.

Grindle's wand slipped out of his fingers and Albus stopped the curse and kneeled on the ground. Grindle fell to the ground stunned in pain, his eyes were blown wide open and he was shaking violently. Albus sobbed as he stared at the broken pieces of Gellert Grindelward. He did this. He wanted to inflict pain on Gellert and did it.

He hunched foward and cried again as the short intake of breaths were heard from Grindle. He did this.

Everyone around them had seemed to disperse, Grindel's followers fled at the defeat of Grindle and then there were a few from the Ministry who were heading towards Grindel and Albus.

Albus tiredly move towards Grindle in his kneeling position, sobbing more quitely and grabbed the Elder's wand by Grindle's side. He grabbed Grindle's face in his hands and his heart ached at the sight of Grindle's wild and lost eyes.

"I'm so sorry." He bend foward to hug Grindle's shaking body to his. "I trully am." He added in a whisper.

\- - -

Albus has insisted to follow as the Ministry chose to imprison Gellert in the Nurmengard Castle. They went there by carriage and Albus had Grindle in between his legs as Albus tried to calm him.

Grindel had stopped shaking, thankfully, and had settled into leaning heavily against Albus. Albus moved as he tried to make it more comfortable for Grindel. Albus looked out of the window of the carridge, the dark stormy clouds were starting to be replaced by fluffy white ones and yet he still felt sad.

His hands, which were lightly stroking patterns on Grindel's exposed chest slowly stopped as he realized that he had no right to do this. Last night wasn't a verification, it was just a random night made by their lust for each other.

"Don't stop." Grindel croaked out that startled Albus. In a quick motion, Albus grabbed the metal flask in his coat pocket and opened it for Grindel to drink the water. Grindel did drink but merely took small sips of it before turning his head away, Albus placed the flask back into his pocket.

Now that Grindel was awake, Albus didn't know what to do. Are they still in good terms even?

"Don't make this difficult and put your hands back where they belong." Gellert reached back to pull Albus's hand back onto his chest and pressed them hard against the hard flesh of it. Albus blushed and cleared his throat. "It had to happen, Albus. Don't linger on it immensely." His hands released it's hold and Albus went back to tracing multiple patterns on Grindel's chest.

"I had always thought that you were stronger Albus, never did I think that performing the blood pact will make you an equal to me. You were always better, always kinder, always the greater good. I will admit to have taken advantage of you and will also admit that falling in love with you was so easy but realizing and admitting to it?" Grindel angled his head back to take a good look at Albus and a smile, a genuine smile curved his lips. "I'm so sorry it took a long while for me to say this but-" Grindel reached a hand up to trace Albus's jaw with his knuckles. "I love you, Albie."

\- - -

The water rippled as Dumbledore pulled his head back. The memories of Gellert Grindelwald will indeed be stuck with him forever because Grindel was his greatest tragedy.They might not have seen each other anymore after Gellert was safely placed at Numengard Castle but his death in the hands of Tom had greatly affected him to which he spends his time going through their memories.

Albus sometimes visit the Mirror of Erised just to see Grindel's face. The smilling one to which had made him cry countless of times.

The mirror was certainly powerfull and sometimes Albus felt himself obssesing over the images rather than realising that it's just a wanted image, aroused by the inner depth of his heart.

But the mirror still holds the truth to which Gellert Grindelwald will always hold a piece of Albus Dumbledore's heart.

"And I love you, Gellert."


End file.
